Friday, March 10, 2017, Jeffrey Wechsler

Title:

This is another variation on the one clue fits all. There are four very different variations of the letter A. Two are presented with an apostrophe, two with a following s. All lead to grid-spanning fill, which is awesome. To me, the phrasing of OAKLAND BALL CLUB is the only one I see as bit of a stretch as it sounds so outdated, but still the puzzle is really nicely put together. Jeffrey really packs the puzzle with sparkly fill  SNORKEL,  YES DEAR,  PAPYRUS,  PODCAST,  EDUCATE, ENROLLS,  SLUICED, CLOSEST,  OF ONE SIZE and  SWEET DEAL.  Less than thirty-five 3/4 letter fill! What fun.  Okay, off we go- theme:

17A. As : SYMBOL OF ARSENIC (15). Important to know if reading about murder is your thing.

32A. A's : EXCELLENT GRADES. (15). Important to know if you want to read.

41A. As : TO THE SAME DEGREE (15).  Important to know if you want to read what he reads.

60A. A's : OAKLAND BALL CLUB (15). Important to know if baseball is your thing.

The rest...

Across:

1. Early Welsh : CELTS. Not Red Auerbach.

6. Subpar performance ... or not : BOGEY. A very wonderful clue, my nomination for Clue of the month. Subpar means less than average, except in golf where below par (subpar) means you did well.

11. School sweater letters : NUS. 13th letter of the Greek alphabet.

14. Wedding, e.g. : UNION.

15. All small, say : OF ONE SIZE. Fits all....

19. Ancient communication medium : PAPYRUS. love the pairing of clues/fill.

20. Modern communication medium : PODCAST.

21. Parts to put together : KIT. When I was young there many of these to help you build a RADIO.

22. Memphis-to-Nashville dir. : ENE. From Graceland to the Grand Old Opry!

23. Washington portraitist : PEALE. George W, both before and after he was president,  was the SUBJECT for this ARTIST.

27. Bocelli album that includes "Bésame Mucho" : AMORE.

38. __ work: menial labor : SCUT.

39. Venerate : ADORE. So close to amore.

40. 1992 opponent of Bill and George : ROSS. H. Ross Perot. Still the butt of jokes.

44. What a bump may affect : SPEED. My neighborhood is surrounded by speed bumps- they still speed using our street as a shortcut.

45. Sources of peeps : NESTS. Easter is coming.

46. Nation with a pyramid on its currency: Abbr. : USA.

49. Title for actor Gielgud : SIR. He was great in drama or comedy.

51. Channeled, as water : SLUICED.

55. Most trusted : CLOSEST.

62. Real bargain : SWEET DEAL.

63. Quarters in the wild : LAIRS.

64. CIA predecessor : OSS.

65. __ bird : EARLY.

66. Not worth it, perhaps : STEEP.

Down:

1. Point of imminence : CUSP. On the cusp of war.

2. Musician from County Donegal : ENYA. Is it raining there?

3. Sagging : LIMP. Two weeks in a row.

4. Keith of country : TOBY. Urban did not fit. Do you all watch The Voice?

5. Underwater aid : SNORKEL. Sergeant? Why not, we grew up together.

6. Leg up : BOOST.

7. On vacation : OFF.

8. Lose it : GO APE.

9. "The Smartest Guys in the Room" subject : ENRON. It was an interesting BOOK and Documentary.

10. Sighed agreement : YES DEAR. Time for the chore jar.

11. 1493 Lisbon arrival : NINA. The SHIP had a great history.

12. Israeli weapons : UZIS.

13. Mennonites, e.g. : SECT. 16A. "Just a __!" : SEC.

18. Heathrow : his :: Orly : à __ : LUI. French gift for Splynter.

23. Vermin : PESTS.

24. Serpico, for one : EX-COP. And so much MORE.

25. Severe : ACUTE. Chronic is the other choice.

26. River in Hades : LETHE. Their beliefs were FUN.

28. Toon with a blue do : MARGE. More Simpsons.

29. Trails for bloodhounds : ODORS

30. Go back to zero : RESET.

31. Swiss borders? : ESSES. SwiSS.

33. __ Palmas: Gran Canaria capital : LAS. In the Canary Islands.

34. Author LeShan : EDA.

35. __ de famille : NOM. The long way to refer to someone's last name. Lesson two for Splynter.

36. Otto minus cinque : TRE. 8-5 in Italian.

37. H.S. equivalency test : GED.

42. Inform : EDUCATE.

43. Registers : ENROLLS. These three all fit together.

47. "Never __ boy to ... " : SEND A.

48. Dangerous biter : ADDER. Loved Black Adder.

49. Like 48-Down : SCALY.

50. Unlikely to be chipper : ILL.

51. Acceptable : SO SO.

52. They're often broken : LAWS.

53. Luau entertainment : UKES. This took me much longer than it should have.

54. Suffix with percent : ILE.

56. "Get lost!" : SCAT.

57. Nobelist Wiesel : ELIE. He is so popular these days.
Washington Post Sunday Magazine - March 5, 2017
Sheffer - March 1, 2017
USA Today - Feb. 28, 2017
Washington Post - Feb. 14, 2017
LA Times - Feb. 10, 2017
Sheffer - Feb. 4, 2017
Sheffer - Jan. 17, 2017
Washington Post Sunday Magazine - Jan. 8, 2017
Chronicle of Higher Education - Jan. 6, 2017

58. "Glad to help" : SURE.

59. Kitchen meas. : TBSP. Do not know why but I did not hesitate with this fill.

61. Acct. entry : BALance.

Well on balance I got 'er done which is good. I think Jeffrey has plugged into my subconscious because many of my 'guesses' are spot on. I liked the variety of the fill and I am really now very familiar with the repeating clue puzzle. Quite a bit of French and no Shakespeare, what is the world coming to? Thank JW, see you all next time. Lemonade out. Would any regulars like the filled grid printed in a larger font?

Note from C.C.:

The 40th American Crossword Puzzle Tournament (March 24-26, 2017) will be held at the Stamford Marriott in Stamford, Connecticut. For those who attend, I hope you won't miss the Cru Dinner organized by the great Mike Alpern. Lots of fun pictures and FAQ's in that link. 

The Cru Dinner officially kicks off the tournament and is a great opportunity to meet with constructors and fellow solvers. And as a newbie, you'll always get a welcome gift! The space is limited, so be sure to contact with Mike (alpernm@aol.com) as soon as possible. 

Mike just told me that "we've got 65 of the 80 or so slots filled (yes, it's been busy), mostly with veterans. I'd like to encourage rookies to sign up while there's still room". 

I bet our own Jeffrey will be a judge again this year at the ACPT.  Kevin Christian also. Minnesota's Tom Pepper & Marcia will attend the Cru dinner. George Barany might be there also.

Friday, March 3, 2017, Alex Eaton-Salners

Title: Look up! It's a bird, a plane - Superman!?! No, sorry, not this time.

Alex E-S makes a quick return to Friday with an imaginative "no clue" puzzle.  Each theme fill is a type of flying machine. Thus, each one becomes an Unidentified Flying Object  as they are flying objects not identified in a clue. This approach requires the solver to get the down fill to get at least one of the theme filled. Because of the difficulty of seeing the theme, the puzzle doe have lots of doable, short fill. He did squeeze in OOMPAHS, CARLS JR.,  BUTT PACK and  HER HONOR. The flying machines are diverse, but otherwise I see no other common element.

18A. No Clue : HELICOPTER (10).

23A. No Clue : GOODYEAR BLIMP (13).

38A. No Clue : BIPLANE (7).

53A. No Clue : HOT AIR BALLOON (13).

61A. No Clue : HANG GLIDER (10).

70A. Area 51 phenomena ... or what five puzzle answers are? : UFOS (4). In the purest sense and not relating to aliens. So how did we get the grid filled.....

Across:

1. Outdo : BEST.

5. So far : TO DATE.

11. "Happy Valley" airer : BBC. I never saw or heard of this SHOW which generated such wonderful reviews.

14. Joie de vivre : ELAN. Interesting as this positive sounding approach to life, can lead to one becoming...

15. Ethically indifferent : AMORAL.

16. Spat ending : ULA. Don't flip over this bizarre clue/fill. Spatula.

17. Dart : FLIT.

20. Friction reducer : OIL.

21. Benin neighbor : TOGO. Not to be confused with 64A. When repeated, an "Animal House" chant : TOGA.

22. Most Rwandans : HUTUS. Some of the HISTORY.

27. Snowboard feature : STRAP. No idea; my Colorado son snowboards. I used to ski.

28. Brass band sounds : OOMPAHS. Tuba or not tuba, that is the question.

31. Money in Miyazaki : YEN.

33. Free org. for law students : ABA. They figure if you join in law school, you stay and pay once you are out in the world.

34. Rob Roy, for one : SCOT. I was fixated on the DRINK for a while, then the book and MOVIE until I left it and came back. The LINK.

35. "Whatevs" : MEH. A regular Corner comment.

41. Poet inspired by the Battle of Baltimore : KEY. Francis Scott, and the Star Spangled Banner. When I saw poet, three letter fill and Baltimore, my mind went to Mr. Poe. Or did it?.

42. Trapezoid measure : AREA.

44. Brooklyn pro : NET. The current worst team in Basketball.

45. Droop : SAG.  No chance I will say anything here.

47. Home of the "All-Natural Burger" : CARL'S JR. This West Coast Hamburger CHAIN is famous for its raunchy  COMMERCIALS. 

49. Bobby who lost to Billie Jean in the Battle of the Sexes : RIGGS. Bobby was an aged star who defeated Margaret Court in the first battle of the Tennis Sexes.

57. Riksbank currency : KRONA. The currency of Sweden's central bank.

59. Flower from the Greek for "rainbow" : IRIS.

60. "Lenore" poet : POE.  And guess who appeared! Not a poem I know well.

65. Latin trio word : AMO, amas amat.

66. Epoch when modern mammals emerged : EOCENE. LEARN.

67. Swindle : ROOK.

68. Its debut Apr. 1971 broadcast covered Senate hearings on the Vietnam War : NPR. Imagine, this started in our lifetime.

69. Periods of growth : SPURTS. I am still waiting for mine.


Down:

1. Muddles : BEFOGS.

2. Family name in Jane Austen's "Persuasion" : ELLIOT.  Her final NOVEL. You can read it online for free.

3. Hand : SAILOR.

4. Explosive stuff : TNT.

5. Lake straddling a Western border : TAHOE. One of the most beautiful places on earth.

6. Tag Heuer competitor : OMEGA. Watches.

7. Sorrow : DOLOR.  Latin.

8. "Entourage" agent Gold : ARI. I did not hear much about the MOVIE.

9. Sea follower? : TAC. The airport, Sea-tac. - Seattle Tacoma.

10. Hebrew G-d : ELOHIM. Transliteration is so hard.

11. Infantry equipment carrier : BUTT PACK. LINK.

12. Color on le drapeau français : BLEU. The blue on the flag of France.

13. Animated film primarily set in Radiator Springs : CARS. WATCH.

19. Some heels : PUMPS. Love the clue/fill.

21. Laid-back : TYPE B.

24. V-J __ : DAY.

25. Taiwanese tea drink : BOBA. We are more used to it being called Bubble tea - Taiwanese tea-based drink invented in Taichung in the 1980s. Most bubble tea recipes contain a tea base mixed/shaken with fruit or milk, to which chewy tapioca balls and fruit jelly are often added. It has been embraced by most Asian restaurants.Various sources and personal experience.

26. Quicken product : LOANS. They started out with accounting software, but are major player in the mortgage field.

29. Plot device? : HOE. Getting it reading for planting, not a prostitute movie..

30. Bachelor pad, perhaps : STY.  Men tend to be messy when left alone.

32. Raphael or Leonardo, in fiction : NINJA. Of the hard shelled kind.

33. __-rock music : ALTernative.

35. Cheese go-with : MAC.

36. Dead-ball __: early baseball period : ERA. Before Babe Ruth.

37. Judge's address : HER HONOR.I am sure this caught all the sexists.

39. Prefix with scope : PERI.

40. Sandwich and Salisbury VIPs : EARLS. Or Grantham.

43. As company : ALONG.

46. Jazz pianist Evans : GIL. The letters were easy, but I never knew of this somewhat  TRAGIC man.

48. Play grounds? : STAGES. Very nice misdirection.

50. Disappear : GO POOF. Good thing he added the F.

51. Bit of baby talk : GOO GOO. Ga Ga?

52. Tiptoes, say : SNEAKS.

54. Backseat driver, e.g. : RIDER. meh.

55. Spiner of "Star Trek: T.N.G." : BRENT. He played the android - DATA - and also appears in both Independence Day movies. ODD.

56. Buenos __ : AIRES.

57. Mongol sovereign : KHAN.

58. Increase, with "up" : RAMP.

62. Hack : LOP.

63. "ER" setting : ICU. The TV show often had the doctors and patients in ICU.

64. Play about Capote : TRU. He died young, a month short of his 60th birthday.

Well golly, we are the end already. Too many short fill to be difficult but there are some challenging fill. It was very hard if you did not understand the gimmick. Alex is showing off his versatility and I expect to see him often this year. I also expect you all to let me know your thoughts. I am off to another new doctor. Will catch up with you after that.
Lemonade out.

Friday, February 24, 2017, Jeffrey Wechsler

Title: G, where shall you go? Of course, to the beginning!

JW returns with a simple add a letter to the start of a phrase to create a new one, with a humorous definition. As with any puzzle based on humor, YMMV. I was Greatly impressed at the inclusion of 2 grid-spanning fill that worked. I would guess one of the 15 letter fill popped in his head, and this puzzle followed. He also included some very sparkly fill: ROADSIDES,  I'LL GO NEXT,  RADIO DIAL and ONION DOME a term which I did not recall. I found a hidden treasure but that might just be a product of the pain killers. We will now examine all the evidence....

17A. Domestic shamelessness? : GALL IN THE FAMILY (15). The ground breaking TV SERIES (0:56) gets re-purposed with a an impudent definition clue.

26A. Near giveaway at the liquor store? : GIN FOR A PENNY (12). In for a pound...they do sell many of the airline size bottles at my local liquor store but no GIN and not for a penny.

41A. Fort Knox? : GOLD DOMINION (12). I doubt if Jeffrey had this BREWERY in mind when he chose Old Dominion as his seed phrase but I like the juxtaposition.

53A. Result of way too many leaves in the eaves? : GUTTER CONFUSION (15). This is my favorite themer, both the rhyme and the picture painted by the clue/fill. Maybe he started here?

Okay on to the rest...

Across:

1. Test in which contrasts are helpful, briefly : MRI. As this test  (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) has played an important part in my current disability, this was easy. I am allergic to the contrast dye.

4. __ stiff : SCARED. When words are derived from the sound we call it onomotapoeia. What should we call it when an  expression gives a great mental picture like this phrase?

10. Minor set-to : TIFF.

14. Huffington Post owner : AOL. This is true - since 2011 - but AOL was bought by Verizon in 2015 which last year bought Yahoo, also. 

15. Wedding offering : CANAPE. From the French word for SOFA.

16. Defunct food coating : ALAR. It was sprayed on apple trees to control the growth and color of the apples. Much debate about the 1989 scare.

20. Boundary : EDGE.

21. Legal tender with a torch : DIME, On the obverse? Reverse?

22. Dealer's offering : LEASE. Car dealer, not HIT ME for card dealer.

23. __ voce : SOTTO.

25. Body shop supply : SOLDER.

30. 2016 Billboard Top Artist : ADELE. She swept the Grammys as well.

31. Besides Linus, the only Nobel laureate in two fields : MARIE. Pauling: Curie. LINK.

32. Take badly? : ROB. Robbing requires use or threat of force. Nicely deceptive clue.

35. Alluring : SEXY.

36. Postgame staple : RECAP.

37. Candy __ : CANE.    



                                   








38. Feb. setting in Spokane : PST.

39. Artist at Giverny : MONET. This is where the ARTIST painted his most successful works. This is a very Friday type clue. I will always have a Monet/Manet block in my mind.

40. Opposite of 56-Across : NADIR. 56A Opposite of 40-Across : ACME.

13. Philosophers' group : SCHOOL. Similar to fish, but not as good for you.

46. "Cutthroat Kitchen" host Brown : ALTON.

47. Second name, perhaps : ALIAS.

48. "Zounds!" : EGAD. Two wonderful old words.

51. They're often tough to beat : ODDS. 45D. Request to a dealer : HIT ME. 50D. Forced bet : ANTE
.
57. Album contents : PHOTOS.

58. ENT's group : AMA.

59. Arcade trademark word : SKEE.

60. Part of many art museum names : MODERN.

61. Table support : LEG.

Down:

1. Ancient spell caster : MAGE.

2. Produce stand sites : ROADSIDES. We have a bunch in the Redlands is SW Miami-Dade, but all the ones in Broward are gone. Now they gather at farmers' markets.

3. "My turn" : I'LL GO NEXT.

4. Part of NSF: Abbr. : SCIence.

5. Telling it like it is : CANDOR.

6. Opposition leader? : ANTI. And later ANTE.

7. First name in Chicago politics : RAHM. Interesting - he was elected as Chicago's 44th mayor, while his mentor Mr. Obama was the 44th POTUS. LINK.

8. It's thrust in competition : EPEE. Love the soupçon of naughtiness in this clue. 

9. Phone button letters : DEF. Glue, I would prefer Mos.

10. Without aggression : TAMELY.

11. Zeus remains largely neutral during its narrative : ILIAD. A really odd way to get to these puzzle friendly letters.

12. "A dagger of the mind, a __ creation ... ": Macbeth : FALSE. Back with Macbeth for our Friday Shakespeare lesson.

13. Potatoes may be cooked in one : FRYER.  Pommes frites for Splynter.

18. Unloose : LET FLY. Quiz: Who said, "unloose the dogs of war?"

19. How stand-up comics usually work : ALONE. True but there have some great duos. I loved the Smothers Brothers.

24. Ring site : TOE.

25. Salon sound : SNIP,

26. [I'm shocked!] : GASP.

27. Enhance through change : AMEND. Big word in the law.

28. Showed impatience, in a way : PACED.

29. Poetry Muse : ERATO. You know all of the muses yet?

32. One moving with frequency? : RADIO DIAL. Another really fun clue, with the frequency pun.

33. Russian Orthodox church feature : ONION DOME. LINK. For our Cornerites.

34. City on the Aare : BERN.


36. Kaiser, for one : ROLL. Misdirection here is placement of the clue/fill.


37. Songs of Seville : CANTOS.




39. Maine road sign image : MOOSE.

40. Nothing : NIL.

41. Buffalo Bill feature : GOATEE. Oh yes!


42. Really loving : MAD FOR. My mental picture. LINK.


43. Generational tales : SAGAS.


44. Barnyard sound : CLUCK.

48. Verify the story of : ECHO. No idea what this clue/fill means.

49. Above the crossbar and between the uprights : GOOD. Not wide RIGHT!

52. Obstruction : SNAG. "Damn, our reno hit a snag!"  Do you watch Property Brothers.

54. Tach stat : RPM. Revolutions Per Minute.

55. SEAL's org. : USN. United States Navy.

Well we made it through another JW Friday and I had so much fun finding the never intended but exciting Buffalo mini theme. Call me crazy but call me. Thanks Jeffrey. Lemonade out.

Friday, February 17, 2017, Mark Feldman

Title:  I'll have two spoons, please.

Mark Feldman is here with his first puzzle of 2017; his last was a fun Spoonerism Puzzle. This time Mark out does Reverend Spooner by reversing the words in a two word phrase, not just the beginnings. Each requires the new first word be a sound-a-alike of the old second word. He then clues the fill with a silly meaning, and the hilarity ensues. He also finishes the grid with some challenges and some excellent choices such as ENDEARS,  MAHATMA,  DEADPAN,  SEA STAR, CHORALES,  HEADLESS, TOREADOR, TOASTERS,  SOUL MATES and the previously unseen in the LAT- SEVERALLY.

The theme fill:

17A. Ladies' man with laryngitis? : HOARSE STUD (10). After successful racing careers, many champion race horses spend their time making their owners rich. SECRETARIAT.

28A. Infant at bath time? : BARE BABY (8). Baby bear has been a star for years. thanks to Goldilocks.

44A. High schooler just hanging out? : IDLE TEEN (8). Teen idols have been around seamlessly since  SINATRA.

58A. Ordinary-looking fashion VIP? : PLAIN MODEL (10). An un-pc twist on model plane  builders.

Across:

1. Earth tone : OCHER. My father painted in oils which is where I learned this word.

6. Popular speaker : BOSE. I have a Bose radio.

10. Unlike Wabash College : COED. Wabash College is a small, private, liberal arts college for men, located in Crawfordsville, Indiana, United States. Wikipedia.

14. "Voilà!" : THERE. Jeannie, where are you?

15. Over : UPON.

16. Company with a Select Guest loyalty program : OMNI. A HOTEL chain.

19. Ultimately earns : NETS.

20. Airport NNW of IND : ORD. INDianpolis and Chicago, O'Hare which originally was called ORcharD Field. 27D. Rail system that services 20-Across : CTA. Chicago Transit Authority.

21. Spicy cuisine : CREOLE. Time for some RECIPES.

22. A native of : FROM.

23. Goneril's husband : ALBANY.  Our Friday Shakespeare REFERENCE. Harder than capital of New York?

25. Revered sage, in India : MAHATMA. None more famous than Ghandi?

27. Sweeps, e.g. : CLEANS. I made this too hard at first...think spys.

29. 1995 "Live at Red Rocks" pianist : TESH. I will control my urge to post my family pics from Red Rocks.

30. African scourge : TSETSE.

32. Indian silk-producing region : ASSAM. Part II, India.

34. Suffix with ethyl : ENE.

35. "Same here" : DITTO.

40. Counsel : ADVISE.

43. Cheer : ROOT.
Take me out
To the ball game
Take me out
To the crowd
Buy me some peanuts
And Crackerjacks
I don't care if
I never get back

For it's root, root, root
For the home team
If they don't win
It's a shame
For it's one, two,
Three strikes you're out
At the old ball game!

48. Highest peak in the Armenian plateau : ARARAT. It is mostly in Turkey. LINK.

50. Armed ocean dweller? : SEASTAR. We used to call it the STARFISH. Marine scientists have undertaken the difficult task of replacing the beloved starfish's common name with sea star because, well, the starfish is not a fish. It's an echinoderm, closely related to sea urchins and sand dollars. ... Most sea stars also have the remarkable ability to consume prey outside their bodies. wiki, i think.

51. Makes it right : ATONES.

52. Pride parade letters : LGBT. Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans.

53. "Macbeth" spot descriptor : DAMNED. Another double dip, this time Shakespeare. "Out, Out..."

55. Division of the Justice Dept. : ATF. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

57. Buffalo's county : ERIE. CSO to many.

60. Marketing opener : TELE.

61. "What a shame" : ALAS. Great word for our poets.

62. Really like : ADORE.

63. Aren't really, maybe : SEEM.

64. Nasdaq competitor : NYSE. New York Stock Exchange.

65. Like Vikings : NORSE.

Down:

1. Emperor after Galba : OTHO. He was number TWO in the year of Four Emperors, a year I learned all about from my son.

2. Bach works : CHORALES.

3. Word associated with Sleepy Hollow : HEADLESS. Do any watch the TV show? I enjoyed the crossover with Bones.

4. Goof : ERR.

5. Checkout correction, perhaps : RESCAN.

6. "Point Break" co-star : BUSEY.

7. Vision: Pref. : OPTOmetrist.

8. They're meant for each other : SOUL MATES. With all of our long married here at the Corner this might be a CSO.

9. Makes beloved : ENDEARS.

10. Informal discussion : CONFAB.

11. Last book of Puzo's "Godfather" trilogy : OMERTA. Silence? Spawned by this author...54D. "Serpico" author Peter : MAAS.  He also wrote The Valachi Papers and Underboss.

12. Bury : ENTOMB.

13. Alarm : DISMAY.

18. "Trophy, Hypertrophied" artist : ERNST. Max.

24. __ Men: "Who Let the Dogs Out" band : BAHA.

26. Follow : HEED.

28. Dahomey, since 1975 : BENIN.

31. One at a time : SEVERALLY. Jointly and severally in the law means "all are obligated and each is obligated."

33. Actor Damon : MATT. He works!

36. OPEC founding member : IRAN.

37. Ring fighter : TOREADOR. That is bull!

38. Pop-up items : TOASTERS.

39. As of 1937, he was the all-time N.L. home run leader until Mays surpassed him in 1966 : OTT. Mel had 511, I think.

41. Like many a successful poker player : DEADPAN. And comedians.

42. Consumed : EATEN.

44. Keys : ISLETS.

45. Unilever deodorant brand : DEGREE.

46. Likely to change : LABILE. Used in medical context mostly, I think.

47. Regard : ESTEEM.

49. Serling's birth name : RODMAN. Dennis loses out to this bit of trivia- Rodman was shortened to Rod.

51. Ouzo flavoring : ANISE. Licorice.

56. Hightail it : FLEE.

59. "Star Trek: DSN" changeling : ODO. Poor René Auberjonois. He was always challenged in Deep Space Nine. I like him best in Boston Legal.

So we traversed the mine field and emerged with another successful Friday in the books. Thanks you so much Mark, a sense of humor always helps, especially as I continue to struggle. Caudal epidural 2 was Wednesday. Sorry for the choppy write up, but I had fun. Lemonade out.

Notes from C.;C.:

1) Happy 50th wedding anniversary to dear Gary and his wife Joann! I'm lucky to have met them and got to know them over the years. Their love and support for each other are so inspiring. So unconditional.

2) Happy Birthday to Chairman Moe (Chris), our wine and beer expert, author of daily Puzzling Thoughts.

Chairman Moe, his wife, Oo & Lemonade,  Sept 10, 2015

Friday, February 10, 2017, Alex Eaton-Salners

Title: What Shakespeare really meant

Today we have our third LAT puzzle from Alex who had his debut here in NOVEMBER and this month he had his NYT debut (2-2-17) and WSJ (2-4-17). I have read his constructor notes for the NYT, LINK, but he gave no personal information. He did show an incredible amount of work and attention to his creative process. My research suggests he is an attorney in California working as in house counsel specializing in intellectual property. I guess words are his business and his pleasure.

For someone new to creating puzzles, he includes lots of fresh fill such as HALOGEN,  OCARINA, MAGELLAN,  EQUALING, SHOT CLOCK,  BERING SEA, NEAT AS A PIN and ATTENDANCE

The theme is deceptively straight forward as the clue continuity of each being a play by Shakespeare leaves the solver only needing to find a literal definition of the title.

18A. "As You Like It"? : ACCORDING TO TASTE (15). Or as Splynter would say, "chacun à son goût."

28A. "Hamlet"? : SMALL VILLAGE (12). I think of the Pied Piper.

47A. "Twelfth Night"? : JANUARY FIFTH (12). This is outlier, as this play deals with January 5 frivolity and the other fill has nothing to do with the play..

60A. "A Midsummer Night's Dream"? : AIR COOLING SYSTEM (15).This was the hardest for me but the perps got me in the right direction.


Across:

1. New : FRESH. A nice way to begin, making us all happy.

6. Word on a movie ticket : ADMIT.

11. Great white cousin : MAKO. You need to be up on your SHARKS.

15. Like a gymnast : LITHE. Hard to find anything that is not inappropriate.

16. In perfect order : NEAT AS A PIN. An old timey phrase.

20. Thai currency : BAHT. Married to a Thai woman. this is a complete gimme. They are currently about 35 to a dollar.

21. "Night" author Wiesel : ELIE. A survivor and a man to admire. LINK. He died last year.

22. Summertime treats : ICEES.

23. Berkeley sch. : CAL. An abbreviation clue begets an abbreviation fill. I beleive this is Alex's Law School Alma Mater..

25. Moby-Dick, e.g. : ALBINO. The white whale! Sharks and whales-cool.

32. Bing provider : MSN. Part of the Microsoft family.

35. Fluorine or chlorine : HALOGEN. The dictionary tells us any of the elements fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, and astatine, occupying group VIIA (17) of the periodic table.

36. Santa __ : ANA.

37. State tie of New Mexico : BOLO.

38. Name on the cover of "Fear of Flying" : ERICA.  The BOOK. It is the Fifty Shades of Gray of my generation.

39. __ shui : FENG. Also popularized in he 70s.

41. Fix, as a road : RE-TAR.

42. Bill : BEAK. Bird.

43. Web help source : FAQ.

44. Simple wind : OCARINA.



46. Animal in some fables : ASS.

49. What a round increases : BAR TAB. Fun clue, very Friday.

50. Vied (for) : RAN.

51. Diarist Nin : ANAIS. Her name assures her crossword immortality.

54. Island festivity : LUAU.

56. Great Sphinx site : GIZA.

64. It's taken in schools : ATTENDANCE. More good clue/fill.

65. Take care of : SEE TO. It always reminds me of Jean Luc.

66. Go slowly : SEEP.

67. Some expirations : SIGHS. A $20.00 word as the clue.

68. High priests : LAMAS.


Down:

1. Lipo target : FLAB.

2. Costa __ : RICA.

3. Drawing toy in "Toy Story" : ETCH.

4. One keeping track of court proceedings? : SHOT CLOCK. Excellent deception, I was listening to a basketball game on the TV in the other room, otherwise this might have been too hard.

5. 2013 Spike Jonze movie : HER. I enjoyed the film. And the parody:

6. Deep blue : ANIL.

7. Stage of grief : DENIAL.

8. Explorer who named the Pacific Ocean : MAGELLAN. Read all about it. LINK.

9. Tech sch. that filed for bankruptcy in 2016 : ITT. ITT Technical Institute was a for-profit technical institute with approximately 130 campuses in 38 states of the United States. All ITT Tech campuses were closed as of September 6, 2016, and on September 16, 2016, ITT Tech filed for bankruptcy. Wikipedia. Is there more to the STORY?

10. Eastern way : TAO. Last week Yao.

11. Collision repair franchise : MAACO.

12. Alcove near the chancel : APSE.

13. Tool in a legendary electricity experiment : KITE. An interesting Ben Franklin reference.

14. Singles : ONES.

17. "Goosebumps" series author : STINE. R.L., he had a cameo in the movie.

19. Dig : DELVE.

24. Simple marine plant : ALGA.

26. City on the Penobscot River : BANGOR. A CSO to Hahtoolah - our quotation queen.

27. Food chain letters : IGA. Very popular in rural Alabama and Georgia this was  founded in the United States as the Independent Grocers Alliance.

28. Biblical queendom : SHEBA. All perps and much confusion. .

29. Chincoteague females : MARES. My LEARNING moment.

30. Jennifer Garner spy series : ALIAS.

31. Swaddled one : INFANT.

32. Theme : MOTIF. Cool, next puzzle idea I have I will think of it as a motif.

33. Pitch : SLANT.

34. Singer Jones : NORAH.

37. Pribilof Islands locale : BERING SEA.

40. Totaling : EQUALING.

41. Tennis nickname : RAFA.  Nadal lost to Federer in the Australian final. It has been an awesome rivalry. LINK.

43. Remote : FAR.

45. Montana player : CYRUS. Hannah - Miley.  I get her as fill often.

47. Fleece finder : JASON.Well hello Alex- a full fledged major CSO!

48. Lots : A BUNCH.

49. __ curls : BICEP.

51. Some batteries : AAAS.

52. When to call, in ads : NITE. Really? NOW, now now!

53. Commedia dell'___ : ARTE.

55. A long time : AGES.

57. Newsworthy couple : ITEM.

58. Sixth in a series : ZETA.

59. Israeli author Oz : AMOS.

61. Takes too much, briefly : ODS.

62. "Love Story" composer Francis :LAI.  This COMPOSER.

63. Fashionable initials : YSL. We  leave on a fashion note. Please stop by and chat Alex and thank you for your work. YVES was an interesting man. YSL embraced his work even after being fired.

Alex also embraces the challenge of creating an intriguing crossword; hope you enjoyed the ride. Thanks Alex, and all who read.

Lemonade out.

Friday, February 3, 2017 Jeffrey Wechsler

Title: Do you recycle?

Our 2016 frequent Friday filler JW is back for his first of the new year. He circles his wagons to give us 4 themers, 2 grid-spanning wrapped around a middle reveal which is a must to locate the theme if you did not have circles. With circles, this solved itself.

17A. "Epic fail!" : THAT WAS TERRIBLE (15).WASTE Management dominates the collection business in SoFla.

25A. Like some cheddar : EXTRA SHARP (10). TRASH to me doesn't have the smell.

52A. Electrical backup supplies : SPARE FUSES (10). REFUSE is an old fashioned word, and somewhat timely. This is not a political comment but a quotation. "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" Emma Lazarus, the base of the Statue of Liberty.

60A. Two of the three founders of the Distilleria Nazionale di Spirito di Vino : MARTINI AND ROSSI (15). DROSS is also fancier, and brings to mind dregs, or mineral waste, scum formed on the surface of molten metal. (various sources).
The reveal:

36. "I don't believe a word!" ... or, the truth about this puzzle's circles : IT'S ALL GARBAGE (13).

As with all JW puzzles, we have some new stuff like SETTERS,  TANGLES,  THE TIDE,
MAHI MAHI,  AT A LIMIT,  GET UPSET and  ENCLOSES.

Barry G., where are you, I have some circles for you? For the rest, here is what I see.

Across:

1. Suggests, with "of" : SMACKS. Really tough place to start, it smacked of Friday difficulty.

7. Cashbox feature : HASP.

11. Wagner's "__ Rheingold" : DAS. Morse loved this music.

14. Uses Blue Apron, say : EATS IN. This COMPANY has created a niche for the millennials to feel good about eating at home without having to shop or make decisions.

15. Baseball family name : ALOU.

16. Space bar neighbor : ALT. Both sides.

20. Lady Gaga's "__ It Happens to You" : TIL. An emotionally charged topic, which you may want to AVOID.

21. Presidential nickname : IKE. My earliest memories are of this non-politician as president. I have a vivid mental picture of his photo on the wall of Big Brother Bob Emery's wall.

22. Makeup remover : TISSUE. Simple and probably factually correct.

23. Put out : EMIT.

28. "Ghostbusters" actor : RAMIS. This enormously talented man wrote many of the best comedies. LINK. He also appeared in many of them. TRIBUTE.

30. Shanghai-born ex-NBA center : YAO. At seven feet six inches he stood out even in the NBA.Sadly his feet could not support his 311 pounds-running and jumping, even as size 18.

31. German : Kopf :: French : __ : TETE. A heady clue for sure.

32. Does really well : SHINES.

34. U.S. intelligence org. : NSA.

42. Deborah's "The King and I" co-star : YUL. I got to see him perform in a revival of the King and I on Broadway. It was awesome.

43. Clearly presented : COGENT. Law school is intended to teach the ability to present cogent arguments.

45. Removed : SHED. Picture a child coming in from the cold removing his garments, or for the romantic, the trail of clothing leading to the bedroom.

49. Nation SE of Cyprus : LEB. Anon? Is the SE a clue that this is an abbreviation?

51. Item on a chain, perhaps : WATCH.

55. One may be broken : RULE.

56. Afghanistan's national airline : ARIANA. My learning moment, as despite past experience with owning a travel agency, I was not aware of this AIRLINE.

57. Northwest Passage explorer : RAE. A pioneer and the SUBJECT of controversy.

59. Word with hole or holder : POT. So sweet.

64. Bridge action : BID.

65. Brown family shade : ECRU.

66. "I'm on board" : AGREED.

67. Década division : ANO.

68. Food buyers' concerns : DYES.

69. Scary flier : TSETSE. The return of the dreaded fly. See 2D. Polynesian catch : MAHI MAHI.

Down:

1. English hunters : SETTERS. There are many kinds but the ENGLISH are hunting dogs.

3. Unable to increase : AT A LIMIT. New fill, but I am not sure.

4. Mo. hours : CST. Central Standard Time.

5. Christchurch native : KIWI. New Zealand.

6. Common animal kingdom tattoo subject : SNAKE.

7. Bowler, e.g. : HAT.

8. Cakes go-with : ALE. Only because I have blogged so much of JW did this make sense. His love of Shakespeare dredged this LINK from memory.

9. In a way, in a way : SORTA.

10. One unlikely to experiment : PURIST.

11. Uses a 22-Across on, as tears : DABS AT. Yes many a tissue gets used with certain movies. What are your favorite tearjerkers?

12. Come-hither quality : ALLURE.

13. Dear : STEEP. Really needed perps; we do not use dear to mean expensive much any more.

18. Hot : SEXY. Do you all watch the Victoria Secret TV specials?

`
19. "__ serious?" : IS HE?

24. Pantry stack : TINS. More from across the pond, as in the USA we stack cans..

26. Picks a fight (with) : TANGLES.

27. Civil rights icon Parks : ROSA.

29. Red __ : SEA.

33. Calculating : SLY.

35. Chip shot path : ARC. Anyone watching Tiger playing in  the desert?

37. Ripsnorter : LULU. Two old fashioned words.

38. Bit of Christmas morning detritus : BOW. Ribbons, boxes etc.

39. Thickening agent : AGAR. Time to refresh our recollection of this secret AGENT.

40. Flip : GET UPSET.

41. Goes around : ENCLOSES. Another harder to parse until it is filled by perps.

44. SEC powerhouse, familiarly : THE TIDE. The Crimson Tide from Alabama. One of the schools i mentioned in first ever Corner post.

45. Runner's woe : SPRAIN.

46. Shag, e.g. : HAIRDO. Same # of letters as CARPET. I blame Dorothy Hamill.

47. Part of Q.E.D. : ERAT.

48. Like some court motions : DENIED.

50. "Feel the __": 2016 campaign slogan : BERN. Now this is clearly political.

52. Iconic Rio carnival activity : SAMBA. They have an annual competition where they appear to spend all their money n the headdress, and not on any other clothing. R-RATED.

53. Like : FANCY. More old fashioned fill that you may or may not fancy.

54. Nasser's successor : SADAT. Anwar Sadat, here is a LIST.

58. Physics units : ERGS.

61. Fight cause : IRE.

62. Mozart's birthplace, now: Abbr. : AUStria. He was born in Salzburg. LIFE.

63. Natural resource : ORE. There's gold in them thar hills!

After so many Fridays, solving JW feels right; I think i have a sense of his sensibilities- like cakes and ale- maybe NC and Steve will chime in. In the meantime, thanks for reading and do not forget to use our sponsors. lemonade out.

Friday, January 27, 2017, Patti Varol

Title: Tennis Anyone?  The real reveal?

Patti is here with her first 2017 puzzle, which structurally is like her last Friday effort. LINK. Using the inspiration of Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes who wrote all of his legal works standing, I am here typing at my makeshift standing desk. This may end up being brief, but then brevity is the soul of wit I am told. The theme are all one word clues, which are brought together on the tennis court.

17A. POINT : TAPERING END ( 11). The fill are literal responses to the clue.

23A. GAME : SAFARI ANIMALS (13). There does not appear to be any relation in the fill.

50A. SET : FILMING LOCALE (13). A little more difficult for me.

59A. MATCH : FIRE STARTER (11). Then the unmarked reveal...

34A. With 36-Across, question for the court : TENNIS  (6) and 36A. See 34-Across : ANYONE (6).

For anyone who has played or watched Tennis (the amazing Williams sister are playing for the Australian Open title as I type) point, game, set and match track how a tennis match progresses, and they are skillfully in order here. An appropriate puzzle for the first grand slam event of the year.

Not much else in the longer fill, SEE PAST, IN A RUSH,  HAIRCUT,  EGG DROP, IMPOSE ON and  ORIENTAL but some tricky proper names to be addressed.

Across:

1. Like much of the Southwest : ARID. Deserts are dry; desserts sweet.

5. Summer music? : DISCO. Wonderful old deception but I was a big Donna Summer fan.

10. Org. funded by FICA : SSA. Social Security Administration.

13. Under-the-sink brand : COMET.

15. "Paper Moon" Oscar winner : O'NEAL. Tatum O'Neal won the 1973 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

16. Like ibuprofen, briefly : OTC. Over The Counter.

19. Jiff : SEC.

20. "Nothing planned that day" : I'M OPEN. To suggestion, maybe, or I'm free.

21. Engineering sch. on the Hudson : RPI. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a cso to some of our own. Putting it nest to...

22. Sport with masks : EPEE. Might trick some to think of a hockey goalie.

26. Move a finger or two, maybe : PEEK. a-boo.

28. Physics units : RADS. You cacc call Sheldon to explain THESE.

29. Signs over : CEDES.

30. 1945 Pacific battle site, familiarly : IWO. Jima.

31. Superfan : NUT.

32. Superhero played by Chris Hemsworth : THOR.. So many named Chris.

40. Exercise woe : ACHE.

42. Alex Dunphy, to Luke, on "Modern Family" : SIS. She has grown up.

43. Mojito ingredient : RUM.

44. "Not a problem" : IT'S OK.

47. Stuff in a backpack : GEAR. Not any more.

49. Little stretches : FIBS. Just like the clue/fill.

53. Captain Picard's counselor : TROI. Star Trek:TNG

54. Unexpectedly by itself, as in the dryer : ODD.

55. Kenya neighbor : UGANDA. EAST AFRICA.

58. Storybook baddie : HAG. The ugly witches.

61. Programming pioneer Lovelace : ADA. A gimme for our math and Computer people, but I only knew of Linda. LINK.

62. Stopped lying : AROSE. To tell you the truth, this was trocky.

63. Sphere : REALM.

64. Common scale extreme : TEN. From one to....

65. Org. chart headings : DEPTS. Org. tells you the answer is an abbr.

66. Crack up : SLAY. Comedy.

Down:

1. When Lear disinherits Cordelia : ACT I.  More friday Shakespeare.

2. "Home on the Range" verb : ROAM.
Oh give me a home where the buffalo roam,
Where the deer and the antelope play,
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word,
And the skies are not cloudy all day.

3. Take unfair advantage of : IMPOSE ON.

4. "Quantum Healing" author Chopra : DEEPAK. So stale, you might day 9D. Dated : OLD.

5. Throw on : DON. And his gay apparel.

6. Ilsa portrayer : INGRID.

7. Overlook, as a fault : SEE PAST.

8. "A Doubter's Almanac" novelist Ethan : CANIN. I guess I no longer read the NYT Book section on Sunday. This  MAN.

10. Under-the-sink brand : SOS PAD. Or did your family use Brillo?

11. "Remington __" : STEELE.

12. Hacker's goal : ACCESS.

14. Nonkosher : TREF. An americanized word pronounced TRAYF.

18. Pressed for time : IN A RUSH.

22. Manicurist's tool : EMERY. Only when they are bored?

24. Expose, with "on" : RAT.

25. Desktop assortment : ICONS.

26. Cherry center : PIT.

27. Lamb parent : EWE. Not me.

31. "Pink Friday" singer Minaj : NICKI. Lots of names.

33. Coiffure : HAIRCUT. $150.00 /$10.00

35. "The End of America" author Wolf : NAOMI. Too POLITICAL for here.

37. Avenue after Reading Railroad : ORIENTAL. Monopoly.

38. Worn end : NUB. Pencil

39. Scrabble three-pointers : EMS.

41. Wonton alternative : EGGDROP. Soup choices.

42. Brazilian map word : SAO. Paulo.

44. "Maybe less" : IF THAT.

45. Intemperate speech : TIRADE. That was almost a trap.

46. Apple's "Think different," e.g. : SLOGAN.

48. Like Meg March, in "Little Women" : ELDEST.

49. Emergency signals : FLARES.

51. Bete __ : NOIRE. I had this recently.

52. Food thickener : AGAR.

56. Poet Walter __ Mare : DELA. Missed him when studying Poetry. LINK.

57. Large number : ARMY.

59. Pokémon Go, e.g. : FAD.

60. French possessive : SES.

Well the month is almost done; this was slow going as some of the proper names were hidden from my brain. Hey it is Friday. My six week wait for an epidural is almost done so maybe I will have more to say next week.  Lemonade out. Thanks Patti.

Friday, January 20, 2017, Debbie Ellerin

Title: Sounds like....homonym home.

We have our fifth offering from a Nancy Salomon, Jeff Chen disciple, and her first Friday. Debbie takes advantage of the beauty and variety of the English language. RUED and RUDE, ROWED and ROAD are clear sound a-likes. DUCKED and DUCT, PASSED and PAST may vary geographically, but the concept is the same. You take a familiar phrase and change the first word for a sound a-like word that creates a new meaning. Like all punny or sound a-likes, once you get the idea, they are easy but it requires filling lots of perps. These are all reasonable if not dramatically funny. Debbie also fits in some nice long fill WEBINAR,  FIXINGS,  SNARLED,  THERMOS and two that are as long as theme entries- RARING TO GO and EYE OPENERS. On to the solve!!!!

16A. Played hooky from the office? : DUCKED WORK (10). DUCT work.

26A. Was sorry to have set the alarm? : RUED AWAKENING (13). RUDE awakenings.

46A. Made it through the Civil War? : PASSED HISTORY (13). PAST history.

60A. Reached the 2016 Olympics the hard way? : ROWED TO RIO (10). ROAD to Rio.

Across

1. Quick : RAPID.

6. Zurich-based sports org. : FIFA. Fédération Internationale de Football Association, not only the governing body of world wide futbol, but also beach soccer!

10. Dis : RIP.

13. Metaphorical title word in a McCartney-Wonder hit : EBONY. Ivory is suing SONY.

14. Major composition : OPUS. We have seen this often lately.

15. Dr Pepper Museum city : WACO. I had no idea. LINK.

18. Journalist/author Larson : ERIK. A very talented author.

19. Telegram period : STOP.

20. Long in the tooth : OLD. which is how I am feeling, not being able to walk, unaided.

21. Texas-Louisiana border river : SABINE. now that clues must be PC, we get this river.
I am sure our cajun contingent jumped all over this CSO.

23. "Without further __ ... " : ADO.

25. Taco toppings : FIXINGS.

31. Random selection : ANY.

32. Give a halfhearted effort : DOG IT. We use dog in many ways. READ.

33. Gratified and then some : SATED.

36. Pizzeria staples : PIES.

38. Romantic dining spot : PATIO. Never thought of that as a romantic spot, but that is just me.

40. Bush advisor : ROVE. Karl. No politics but you can READ his slant.

41. You can skip it : STONE. One of many fun clues.

43. Piaggio transport : VESPA. Interesting HISTORY.

45. X or Y preceder : GEN.

49. Lunchbox container : THERMOS. Vacuum sealed container. A valid trademark? The CASE.

51. "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!" airer : NPR. National Public Radio.

52. Small creek : RUNLET. Nope. Never heard of it.

53. Meet at the poker table : SEE. I'll see you $1,000,000.00 and raise you...does anybodt watch the WSOP ?

55. Hound sound : YELP.

59. Downwind : ALEE.

63. Joker, for one : CARD.

64. Continental divide : URAL. Europe and Asia. LESSON.

65. "Buffy" spin-off : ANGEL. David Boreanaz has gone seamlessly from Buffy to Angel to Bones.

66. Superhero symbol : ESS.

67. They're fixed shortly after being intentionally broken : EGGS.  Convoluted but cute clue.

68. Crystalline stone : GEODE.

Down:

1. Bench mates? : REDS. Really fun deception, as Hall of Famer Johnny Bench played for the Cincinnati Reds.

2. Bump up against : ABUT. A great word for Cartman.

3. Little, to Luis : POCO.

4. Rubber stamp partner : INK PAD.

5. Highlight provider : DYE. Those nice highlights in your hair.

6. Barnyard regular : FOWL.

7. 2001 Apple debut : IPOD. How time flies.

8. Lab coat : FUR. We continue with witty cluing using the capital letter starting the clue to attempt to deceive.

9. Welcomes warmly, as a visitor : ASKS IN. Of course, "ask sin" might be a warm greeting.

10. Ready in a big way : RARING TO GO.

11. Cupcake cover : ICING. Alliteration.

12. Uses a fireplace tool : POKES. That is why it is called  poker.

15. Online workshop : WEBINAR. Very big in the law world.

17. The Platters' genre : DOO WOP. According to the dictionary it is a style of pop music marked by the use of close harmony vocals using nonsense phrases, originating in the US in the 1950s. LISTEN?

22. x or y follower : AXIS.

24. Senior, to Junior : DAD.

25. Amulet : FETISH. We tend to think more of behavioral fetishes.

26. Emulates Eminem : RAPS.

27. Meter or liter : UNIT.

28. Revelations : EYE OPENERS. Nice long fill.

29. Plants used to make tequila : AGAVES.

30. Cashed, as a forged check : KITED. Sorry, kiting has nothing to do with forgery. Check kiting is a form of check fraud, involving taking advantage of the float to make use of non-existent funds in a checking or other bank account. In this way, instead of being used as a negotiable instrument, checks are misused as a form of unauthorized credit. (per wiki).

34. "... happily __ after" : EVER. The fairy title of life.

35. Say no to : DENY.

37. Tangled : SNARLED.

39. Put in one's two cents : OPINED.

42. Mrs. Cullen in Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" : ESME. Played by Elizabeth Reaser.

44. Venomous snake : ASP.

47. "I know, right?" : SO TRUE.

48. Sign next to free samples : TRY ONE.

49. Hint : TRACE. Only reminds me of Hodgins.

50. Luau entertainment : HULAS.

53. Gala giveaways : SWAG. The famous Hollywood swag bags now worth about $40,000.00 at the Oscars.

54. "Electric" swimmers : EELS.

56. "For that reason ... " : ERGO. Latin word co-opted by English.

57. Told a fantastic story, perhaps : LIED.

58. North __ : POLE. A little late for Santa.

61. URL ending : ORG.

62. Identify on Facebook : TAG. A prefect segue, as tag you the reader are IT, as I have had my say with all the typos and errors that a human can create. Because there were so many words filled by the downs, this was pretty easy. As for the theme, YMMV. lemonade out.